I have my eye on a Wby Vanguard, .300WSM, for sale CHEEP.

I don't need a .300, but am thinking about buying it, using the action as the basis for a .270 WSM build, with Pac Nor barrel, McMillan stock, trigger upgrade, etc.

Any thoughts about the suitablity of the Vanguard action for a custom rifle?

Very good actions - a lot of bang for the buck. I think the Howa/Vanguards are gaining popularity for the basis of a custom.

I have a 22-250AI built on a ss Vanguard and I like the gun alot. Keep in mind that normally a Remington trigger can just be worked so that brings the cost of the two a bit closer. The Vanguard action will weigh more so if you are going for a light build I'd pass. If your ok with a 8# rig it will make a sweet one. Oh yea do the Sako Classic McMillan on the stock, it's a very nice upgrade.

If you get the new Charlie Sisk book on choosing a custom rifle, you'll see that he thinks this action is a good one except for 375 H&H size.

i've got a few, (howa)

223AI

264 Win

Pair of 270Win's

22-250 AI

308Win

308Win Factory bbl action

7-08 for the wife

that's about all of them i think? anyway you get the point.

Great looking stable of weaponry there, Paul-

What is your preference of barrel manufacturer?
Have you had anything special done to the actions (truing, lapping, etc.?)

gotta tell ya...i have had 2 howas and 4 vanguards (i think 4..hmm..) and all have been butter-smooth. they even feed empty cases. go find another brand that will do that every time.

lol Barbie I love it.

I just had a rifle built on a Howa action...

i look for deals on the internet, i run anything from Douglass, broughton and Pac-nor. I think the smith matters more. I've never had a Howa trued and they all shoot very very well.

Paul

Very nize. Which 'smiths will build on the Vanguard/Howa? I have a nice old 338 Win that wants to grow up to be a 375 Ruger maybe... and which 'smith(s) did you have good luck with on yours? I was kinda thinkin Kreiger and havin them chamber and install.

That is a Grade A #1 Picture Paul

If they can cut metric threads they can do the Howas/Vanguards.


Travis

Some (most?) do charge a bit more though.


Travis

Mickey coleman built a couple of them for me, plenty of guys out there to do it as long as they cut metric threads.

Thanks, he's a camera hog!

Never done it but have been told you can convert the metric howa threads to 1.040x16tpi

Greg, who made that stock?
Paul, are those all McMillan?

It's a B&C Medalist...

Not shabby at all to be quite honest.

I had a 300 Savage built on one. I did change out the trigger for a Timney though. Great shooter.

I bought two Weatherby Vanguard rifles in the last couple of years. There are NO flies on that action, at all.
Paul has shown what custom rifles look like using that action. They are outstanding!!

I put Rifle Basix triggers on both of mine. I think the trigger is THE only thing needing upgrading, from my point of view anyway.
My two rifles could be used in factory rifle benchrest competition they are that accurate.

Edit to add: For barrels, I use Hart for SS builds, and Douglas for CM builds. They have proven accurate for me since 1960.

My rifle above also has a Rifle Basix in it...

I really like the Howa/Vanguard actions...

I've got another Howa action laying around and I'm kicking the idea around of a 17-223 or a 20-223...

Bighorn:

Take delivery before you order a new trigger. I just bought a Vanguard in .223 - haven't even had time to take it to the range, yet - and right out of the box, the trigger is excellent.

No detectible creep, breaks like glass at - I'm estimating - 2.5 pounds, give or take a couple of ounces. Easily the equivalent of the factory trigger on my Sako 75.

Luck, I know, but you might be lucky, too.

- Tom

yep, all McMillan stocks. Sako classic pattern.

i changed mine triggers out with Timney's. Going to try the Rifle basix once i do another one.

paul what color combo in the green 270 its awesome thanks in advance

50 green, 30 black, 20 blue.

the bottom one is blue/green/purple. I put them together for a friend and his daughter.

Cause ya never sent me the vanguard triggers. [grins]

i know, i blame scott for that! he was heading up that project and now i couldn't tell you where the heck the old triggers are? moving is a pain in the but! heck, i had to buy a new powder scale a few months ago cause i couldn't find mine and just yesterday i found my old one. go figure!

What was Charlie's complaint about using the action for a 375 length..............??

Curious about that myself as the .300 Wby available in the vanguard shares the same case length of 2.850".

Interesting that you mention the Vanguard in 300 WBY.
A guy living here has one, and asked me to develop a load for it that delivered less recoil than the factory 180 grain ammo he's been using for big game hunting. We worked together getting an awesome load that kicks about like an '06. I got to shoot that rifle a lot during the load developing, as I did all of the shooting given the ammo was my reloads. I wanted to make sure it was safe to shoot before turning the shooting over to him. That was last Summer. Right after that, I had a HUGE case of the "hot's" to buy a Vanguard in 300 WBY. (You may know the feeling.. ) That thing was so accurate I couldn't believe it. The final load shot 3 shot into a 1/2" group several times by me, and by him.
Shooting from the bench was shear pleasure, with none of the heavy recoil.

I have a .300 Wby vanguard myself in a pillared stock off a Vanguard Sub-Moa. Its a real gem. I don't mind the recoil too much, I just limit my round count per session.
I picked up some 168 grain Bergers, but haven't gotten to work anything up yet since we just moved. Might have to do that before the hog hunting shin dig in may..

I have been kicking around the idea of building a .475 OKH on a Vanguard lately. I was originally thinking of rebarreling the rifle I have, but with the standard Vanguard selling for $399 or less I might just pick up another one.

I have a 375 H&H built on a Vanguard action. My gunsmith's response when I asked him if it could be done was "they make a 300 Wby, which has the same COAL." Maybe so, but I ordered a 300 Wby mag box from Weatherby for mine (it was originally a 7mm Rem. Mag.), and it will only accept a maximum COAL of 3.530". The result? 260-gr. NABs have to be single loaded. To eject a loaded round, I have to move the bolt stop and partially to remove the bolt. Oh well, I figured it's not worth modifying the action bottom. 270-gr. TSXs feed fine, as do any 300 gr RNs. The NABs group into 0.6" with RL-15, incidentally...